


Love Language

by discountghost



Category: ATEEZ (Band), K-pop
Genre: All kinds of Cuddles, Alternate Universe - College/University, Couch Cuddles, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Jongho otter boy wbk, M/M, Morning Cuddles, Sleepy Cuddles, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, this is as soft as i'm gonna get
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 00:48:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21437449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/discountghost/pseuds/discountghost
Summary: There are supposedly five kinds of love languages, and it just so happens that Jongho's makes him fight off would-be suitors for his very pretty older brother.
Relationships: Choi San/Jeong Yunho, Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang
Comments: 8
Kudos: 89





	Love Language

**Author's Note:**

> hi hello this all started bc of a tweet i can't find that talked about [this photo](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DjXN9qXXgAM0i16.jpg) and how it looked like jongho was introducing san to his friends and my brain ran with it.

“Okay, he’s coming! Please — for the love of  _ god _ — be cool.”

“You’re literally the only person here  _ not _ being cool.”

“I said be cool!”

He hasn’t been this stressed since...he can’t remember, but he’s  _ stressed. _ There are only so many ways that his brother meeting his friends can go. The most prominent two ways have left scars on his memories. He’s had to end relationships because his friends either saw it in themselves to be terrible middle schoolers harboring crushes from a distance or horrendous flirts that made him uncomfortable. He hopes he doesn’t have to do that now; they were a fun bunch.

Jongho  _ has _ waxed poetic about his brother. It’s become a habit he can’t shake, even if he wanted to. But he doesn’t. He wrings his hands just as he hears footsteps that signal the person he’s been waiting for. When he turns to face the open doorway, the grin on his face falls and his shoulders sag. It’s just Hongjoong.

“ _ Damn _ , is that how we feel about me?” The older laughs as he steps into the room with the snacks that should have been there  _ a whole thirty minutes ago _ . He has a very strong urge to pull on the other’s neck hairs; he refuses to call it a mullet because it is very much  _ not _ at this point.

“Hyung, I swear to God I’m going to shove you out that window.”

“I get this has to be perfect and all, but it’s not like you’re bringing your boyfriend to meet your family.” Mingi has a point. He might be staring mindlessly at a game, but he has a point. But Jongho really  _ doesn’t _ care.

However, there’s another voice that chimes in, swooping in to take his side. “I dunno; I think it’s cute.”

He’s probably just given himself whiplash with how quickly he turns around. His mood is like a pendulum, swinging enthusiastically towards elation as San steps into view. He’s not sure if he’s been hiding just beyond the doorway, but once again - Jongho doesn’t care. 

He remembers very vividly the first time he’d ever gotten a hug from San. They were only in elementary school, the older smiling brightly at Jongho. He’d hidden behind his mother’s legs and peered out at the older as he was introduced to him. When his mother started dating San’s, they’d delayed their meeting for fear of the two not getting along well. Thinking back, he sort of understands why, but mostly doesn’t get it. Not when San smiled wide, dimples on full display as he walked right over and engulfed the younger in a hug, proclaiming he’d take good care of him.

Now, though, it’s Jongho wrapping him up in a hug. Their height difference hasn’t changed much over the years, with the younger chasing the older in height. He’s tall enough that they can bump foreheads, San offering up a high pitched giggle before ruffling Jongho’s hair. They separate only in terms of ending the hug, fingers linking together with absolute ease. If the others have anything to say about it, they’re quiet.

“This is San, my older brother. Hyung, these are my friends.” He probably wouldn’t notice himself how big his smile is, but his cheeks are beginning to ache a little.

“It’s nice to meet you all.”  _ Gorgeous, sweet, adorable _ . San looks like the living embodiment of that one emoji with the hearts surrounding a blushing face. And he  _ does _ look kind of (kind of being an understatement) cute, dressed up as he is. He remembers how difficult it was to get the little suns on the other’s jeans right when they did them; it matches the black sun on his orange shirt that only seems to make his skin a shade tanner than it normally is. The dimples are back and Jongho feels like he might have a heart attack. “I’ve heard you’ve been treating Jongie well. Thank you for that.” 

He bows deep and Hongjoong is quick to slap him on the back. “No problem. Though, he can pretty much handle himself.”

San beams as he straightens up. Jongho is content to see the eye smile he knows well, even if he’s already seen it this morning a dozen times. The perks of living with his brother. His hand goes to sweep back brown hair from the other’s face before he tugs the older to move to the couch, finding them a spot next to Yunho. He’s sure it’s been a long walk to the dorms from the dance studios, and San really shouldn’t be straining his legs too much. He doesn’t notice the sudden flush that has taken to Yunho’s cheeks as San sits down and Jongho follows suit. He slots himself in the space between his legs and is immediately wrapped up in a hug. He smells like apples and grass in the spring. Jongho is content.

The others introduce themselves in waves, and it goes well. Yunho, the big bear that he is, has been considerate of giving them space just as he usually does. Maybe fumbles over his greeting, but Jongho doesn’t think anything of it. Yeosang is quiet, but he’s always been quiet and he falls in comfortably beside San. Mingi looks up from his Switch for the first time since San has walked in and...stops. A soft  _ oh _ leaves him and Jongho fears the worst. 

Except it’s followed by, “He’s small like you,” and Jongho feels like all might be okay. San seems flustered by this declaration, but not entirely opposed. Though -

“I’m not small.” The youngest in the room pouts and San coos. He decides to let it go.

Wooyoung smiles, sidles up close to San. “I didn't know you were Jongho’s brother.” It sounds mildly flirtatious — but so does half of what Wooyoung says and he can’t fault him for it.

“I didn’t know you were his friend.” 

“He’s in one of my dance classes.” Jongho hadn’t asked the question, but it’s answered anyways. It means one less introduction and that he can trust the two to get along well. Swimmingly, if how quickly they seem to lapse into conversation is anything to go by.

“We met on the way in.” Hongjoong shrugs, taking the snacks out. Figures; of course, they did. Seonghwa crosses the room to help him. 

The eldest hasn’t made an effort to introduce himself, but he’s just waiting. Biding his time. His smile is comforting to Jongho’s frazzled nerves — the ups and downs of introducing family to friends and hoping they get along — as he introduces himself to San. Jongho kind of expects the other to be formal, giving him that same greeting he got when they first met. But Seonghwa surprises him. Levels San an easy smile and offers a drink as he introduces himself. 

He’s  _ happy _ . For once, he doesn’t have to worry about his friends being inappropriate or jokes to one of the people that matter to him. He gives San’s hands a squeeze; it’s reciprocated without delay, a giggle sounding above him.

“Let’s play some Smash.”

Jongho only lets one hand go to raise it and declare he’s going first.

When they get home, the first thing they do is set up the living room in its usual configuration. Sheets and pillows make a nest of sorts. Their special fort. The tv is playing, but they’re not really paying much attention to it. It’s almost midnight; they got carried away playing Super Smash and Seonghwa finessed ramen for them all. Happy and full, they sprawled out on the sofa, Jongho resting his head on San’s hip. He whines softly when the other shifts away, only to come back within a second.

“Did you have a good time?” He feels the other sigh, shift around some until they’re two otters holding onto each other once more. He glances over at San.

“I had a great time.” He thinks his mouth might split with how wide he smiles at that. San grins back at him, taps his finger against Jongho’s nose. “Thanks for letting me meet everyone.”

“Of course! I don’t want you to be lonely.”

It pains Jongho to say it, but San needs more than just him. His brother was too social to let himself be stuck with just Jongho — no matter how much he tries to claim otherwise. It’s what prompted Jongho to gather his friends to meet San in the first place. The nurses and trainers were nice, but they treated him with a certain amount of pity that San didn’t need. He wasn’t going to get any better interacting with just them everyday if they kept reminding him of what happened. He regales his brother again with the story of how he met them all, as if he hadn’t spent hours on end trying to make his brother feel involved when he was still at the hospital.

“You said Yunho spotted you the first time you went to the gym?”

“Yeah — he kinda saw that I didn’t know a thing I was doing, so he really helped me out.”

San smiles, a light dusting of red on his cheeks. “That’s really nice of him.”

“He helped me meet everyone else. Woo teaches a dance aerobics course on the weekend and I ran into him with Yunho; turns out  _ they  _ were friends.”

“Isn’t he dating Yeosang?”

“They’re very sweet together.”

“I can tell.”

They lapse into a comfortable silence, the only thing they hear being the tick of the clock, the television playing softly, and the rustle of sheets.

“Hongjoong-hyung is in his final year of music production. I think if we ask, he could do a track for one of your performances.”

“Jongho...I’m probably not gonna perform this year.” San’s voice wavers for a second.

He blinks. Right. “Well, maybe next year.” He doesn’t like the idea of thinking San separate from performing. It doesn’t sit right in his mind or on his tongue when he talks about it, still. 

“Won’t he have graduated?”

“He said he’d keep in contact with us, and he’s a production junkie, I really don’t think he’d mind.”

“That’s very nice of him.”

Jongho hums his assent, turns on his side. “You were asking about Hwa-hyung’s succulents before, right? The cactuses? Cacti? He once kicked Hongjoong-hyung out because he almost sat on one.”

“You’re not serious.” San can hardly contain his giggles.

“That’s how I met them in the first place. Hyung came into the studio during my project work last year and kinda just...squirreled up in the corner because there were no more open studios. Said he’d make it up to me by treating me to some ramen when he was done.”

San frowns. “Is that why you came home at two in the morning?”

He doesn’t like when San frowns. Jongho dips his head into the crook of San’s neck, as if to hide from the expression. “Yes, hyung.”

“I’m glad you didn’t make a habit of it, and I hope Hongjoong-hyung hasn’t either.”

“I’m pretty sure he lives in the studio more than he does in the dorm.”

Another soft giggle, then a yawn. “I need to be up early for therapy.”

“Hyung, can I sleep in your room tonight?”

“Aw, did you feel like I was being taken way tonight?” San cups his cheeks, coos as he mashes his palms into the flesh. “Sure, you can, Jongie. Let’s get ready for bed.”

He’s content to see his brother happy. To see that he’s not got a kakaotalk chat full of people willing to spend time with him. He’s not sure when all the questions will arise, but he’s glad that at the very least that San is smiling so brightly. Things are only going to look up from here; Jongho can feel it.

—

**[hehet]**

friends,,,gays,,,i ask a favor of you all

**[weewoo]**

what if we’re not all gay tho

**[hehet]**

you’re literally in bed w me shut up

**[hehet]**

anyways 

**[hehet]**

an impending deadline requires models

**[mango]**

ask ur bf

**[hehet] **

models plural

**[hehet]**

i’ll buy lunch

**[honkytonk]**

im in

**[hwatintarnation]**

It was the free food, wasn’t it?

**[hehet]**

don’t forget to bring san, jongho

**[tuffbabie]**

why would i ever leave a work of art out of an art project?

**[hehet]**

an excellent point

**Author's Note:**

> uwu i hope you enjoyed reading 
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/discountghosts) / [cc](https://curiouscat.me/remeremerem)


End file.
